Images Repeating

Visit my new blog at Images Repeating. I talk about art, music, film, photography, architecture and well, whatever is on my mind. Check it out - http://imagesrepeating.blogspot.com/

1, 2. Freddy's Coming For You

One, two. Freddy's coming for you.
Three, four. Better lock your door.
Five, six. Grab your crucifix.
Seven, eight. Gonna stay up late.
Nine, ten. Never sleep again.

The new A Nightmare on Elm Street comes out on Friday. I don't think it will hold a candle to the old one - but I will go see it for sure.

Look at the difference between the Freddys. Weird.

Old Freddy: [Image via]

New Freddy: [Image via]

Don't fall asleep!

Good night. Sleep tight. Don't let the bedbugs bite.

Good night. Sleep tight. Don't let the bedbugs bite.

We have all heard the nursery rhyme, but what are the origins (besides the obvious).

According to a staff reporter from The Straight Dope, the phrase "sleep tight" has two possible origins.

1. Beds used to have square frames and ropes were tied across the frame in a weave-like pattern and thus sleep tight - don't let the mattress sag. Mattresses also used to be made out of natural materials such as straw, and thus could potentially be a breeding ground for bugs, possibly bedbugs.
2. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, tightly in this sense refers to "soundly, properly, well, effectively"
   

(I like the first explanation better)

P.S. I would attach a photo of a real bedbug, but I find them disgusting and thus, I chose to include the following - a much happier thought. Click here if you want to see a photo of a real bedbug in a mattress.

[Image via]

Chronic Nightmares

Lately, I've been having a lot of nightmares and I'm exactly sure why so I started to do some research. I started to look reasons why, and those are pretty boring but I found an interesting article on ABC on how to combat nightmares and I was intrigued.

Scientifically there is a difference between a bad dream and a nightmare: a nightmare wakes up in all sweaty panicked in the middle of the night, while a bad dream you remember in the morning, but you sleep the whole night through.

Since dreams are "emotional thermostats" (so says the article), bad dreams can be a good thing - bringing things to your attention that may have been hidden, but nightmares can be a sign of too much stress.

According to Ross Levin, a psychologist, if you have a recurring nightmare, the patient needs to relive the dream while they are awakes so that they can rescript it and hopefully change it forever.

For information on changing dreams and controlling your dreams, check out my post on lucid dreams.

I find this all very fascinating - the idea that you are in control of your dreams and thus, your subconscious to some degree.

Lucid dreams

Lucid dreams. I think in one point or another we all have them, but some of us can make ourselves dream things every night. In an article titled Living in Dreamworld, researcher Stephen LaBerge teaches people how to lucid dream, or have control over your dreams at night.

[Image via.]

To do this is quite simple, according to LaBerge. All you have to do is make yourself aware that you are asleep, and thus, you can control your dreams. (Okay, I' believe him - LaBerge spent more than a decade researching lucid dreaming at Stanford University). He invented a special sleep mask called a NovaDreamer to help alert you in your sleep.

Dreams are important - you can live out all your fantasies if you have control over them. Apparently, according the the article, many people contact LaBerge to find out how to have vivid lucid sex dreams. Interesting.

What are your thoughts?

Also, there is a video accompanying the article with Dr. LaBerge teaching people how to take control of your dreams.

Cat naps

I started thinking of the phrase cat nap and how it came to be. According to dictionary.com, the term cat nap originated from around 1815–25 and is an American in origin.

So cutesy schmutesy time. (I couldn't help myself).

Here are some cute photos of cats, etc... sleeping.
ENJOY!

[Image via]

[Image via]

Homework means little sleep

As the semester draws to a close, all of the final projects and finals are piling up. I have a ten page paper to write and many final projects. On top of that - all of my finals are on the Tuesday of finals week. *blergh*

My Finals Schedule: Tuesday, May 11
8-10 - Online
10:30 - 12:30 - Holocaust
1 -3 - Anthropology

This means little sleep for Jen in the next few weeks.

Unfortunately, this also means fewer posts. I will have more interesting sleep deprivation stories (and I will try to share them), but I will be hardpressed for time. I am also considering finding a way to connect an IV of Starbucks directly in my vein to get through these weeks.

Wish me luck!

Sleeping Beauty - Part II

I wrote about Sleeping Beauty last week (I meant to include this in the last post) and when looking for images, I came across a documentary called Waking Sleeping Beauty.

Here is a piece of the movie blurb: [Via Apple]

"Waking Sleeping Beauty is no fairytale. It is a story of clashing egos, out of control budgets, escalating tensions… and one of the most extraordinary creative periods in animation history. Director Don Hahn and producer Peter Schneider, key players at Walt Disney Studios Feature Animation department during the mid1980s, offer a behind—the—magic glimpse of the turbulent times the Animation Studio was going through and the staggering output of hits that followed over the next ten years. Artists polarized between the hungry young innovators and the old guard who refused to relinquish control, mounting tensions due to a string of box office flops, and warring studio heads create the backdrop for this fascinating story told with a unique and candid perspective from those that were there..."

Okay, so it may be a little off topic, but as a former Disney fanatic, I am interested.

In theaters: March 26, 2010

Must. have. sleep.

Story time -

So, last night, at about 3 a.m., my friend PLS calls and needs the spare key to his house because he misplaced his. I had to get out of bed and find the key and then remove it from the key chain. Then, I had to get dressed so that I can go meet him outside.

This awesomeness was followed by my lovely self not being able to go back to sleep for quite some time.

Exhaustion.

Dream Diary: Day 42

I haven't written about my dreams lately, because when I wake up in the morning I cannot remember many of the details, so here are some random tidbits that I do remember.

- In one dream, I dreamt I got a dog, only to wake up very disappointed in the morning that I was still pet free.

- In one dream, my family moved (we have lived in the same house for as long as I can remember). The new neighborhood is in my dreams a lot and is a combination between mine and an older neighborhood. It is a lot of chasing dreams where I am running from someone and need to hide. None of the houses have fences and you can run in the yards without trouble, but I somehow always get caught.

- In another dream - I should preface this by saying that I watched The Cove the night before, there were a lot of violent situations. I don't remember a lot of details, but I woke up mildly freaking out.

- One of the other nights, I got about one hour of sleep because I kept waking up with a stomach ache. Booo.

Until next time,

Jen

College Students and Lack of Sleep

I am tired. Exhausted even. I never get enough sleep and I know there are a couple thousand other people here who would agree with me.

So - I did a little research. According to the Journal of American College Health, college students typically miss at least the last two hours of REM sleep, which is "an important aspect of successful academic and personal life."

In this 2001 study conducted by Walter Buboltz, they found that 18% of men and 30% per cent of women reported insomnia in the past few months. I would put money on the fact that since the rise of smart phones, the Internet and other technologies that this statistic has gone up. I cannot count the number of times I stayed awake practically all night on my laptop or phone. Whoops.

Need a nap later. Preferably on the quad.

Sleepover!

For this post, I am going back to my childhood. If I were at home, and not at college, I would post some photos of me during childhood sleepovers (I'll have to find some of these and post them at a later date).

But for now, I will reminisce and use photos of strangers!

My favorite things about sleepovers

1. Girl talk - talk about girly things - clothes, shoes, life.
2. Beauty time - nails, hair, etc.....
3. Games - truth or dare.. etc...(I remember most of these involved boys!)
4. Talk about boys - You know the drill.
5. Foood! (Pizza, ice cream, etc..)

Birthday sleepovers are the best - there was usually bowling and goody bags and friends. What more could you want.

Now, I want to have one. Sad news. Hmmm.... Also - childish theme lately?

[Image via]

Alice In Wonderland

Wonderland. Dream land. I saw the Johnny Depp/Tim Burton version and loved it but it made me miss the old one. I guess I am on a Disney princess theme - although I guess she isn't a princess. Hmmm..

Also, while on my favorite blog today, I came across an awesome Alice for iPad video. Do want. Do want.

Dream Diary: Day 36

Haven't remembered any of my dreams lately. Except for one - I had one that I was preggers and when they took a sonogram, they saw vegetables inside me. I have no, zip, zilch, non, nicht idea what this dream means. Any thoughts? Any one?

Sleeping Beauty.

I was just planning on making this post about Sleeping Beauty, and I plan on doing a future post on this princess,... however, while perusing the web today, I found a case about "The Real Life Sleeping Beauty." In this article, I read about a disease called Kleine-Levin syndrome.

This is a condition where the affected person sleeps for excessively long periods. In the article, the girl slept for 13 days during her last sleep. This neurological disorder often brings depression with it. There are no known cures for the disease. Whoa.

[Image via]

[Image via]

I'm thinking that my mother can no longer yell at me for sleeping in.

Dreeeeeam. (Dream)

Out enjoying the beautiful weather, but I leave you with this.

All I Have to Do is Dream - Everly Brothers (video)

Dream, dream dream dream, dream, dream dream dream

When I want you in my arms,
When I want you and all your charms
Whenever I want you, all I have to do, is
Dream, dream dream dream

When I feel blue in the night,
And I need you to hold me tight
Whenever I want you, all I have to do, is
Dream, dream dream dream

I can make you mine, taste your lips of wine,
Any time, night or day
Only trouble is, gee wiz,
I’m dreamin’ my life away

I need you so that I could die,
I love you so, and that is why
Whenever I want you, all I have to do, is
Dream, dream dream dream, dream

I can make you mine, taste your lips of wine,
Any time, night or day
Only trouble is, gee wiz, i
’m dreamin’ my life away

I need you so that I could die,
I love you so, and that is why
Whenever I want you, all I have to do, is
Dream, dream dream dream

Lyrics via PoemHunter.

Journal Sleep

I was running low on ideas today, so I googled sleep in the news, and I came across an interesting piece called "Regional Fat Distribution and Sleep Apnea: Sex Makes a Difference" by Renata L. Riha from Journal Sleep. Riha, from the department of sleep medicine in Edinburgh, Scotland talks about morbid obesity and sleep apnea. Morbid obesity is present in 60-90% of people with obstructive sleep apnea. What Riha found was that it was in females, rather than males, that "neck fat distribution was the most significant contributor" to sleep apnea. She also found that reliance on BMI (body mass index) is completely oversimplified and that doctors need to consider many other possibilities and each person's anatomy when discussing sleep-disorder related breathing.

There's some science for you. I learned something. Did you?

"Pillow Fighting Around The World"

I was wondering around on my favorite blog today, my modern met, and I came across an article from Time magazine titled "Pillow Fighting Around The World." Check out their photo gallery here in which "flash mobs gather around the world to fight it out with cushy weapons."

Edinburgh, Scotland [Image via PA/Landov]

Paris, France [Image via Benoit Tessier/Reuters]
Looks like so much fun! Count me in next time.

Water and sleep. Sleep and water.

Lyrics time!

Here is the first half of Water and Sleep, by Mirah.

Water come up from the ocean
Water come right up the street
Water come up to the edge of my bed
Water come up while i sleep

I'll wait for sleep
Leave salt on my sheets
Salt on my sheets

By stars navigate
Dreams anticipate
By night it's too late
To try and not think about it

I'm visible
I'm invisible
The moon it is full
It pulls back and forth

I'll wait for sleep
To take me again
Take me again

Hear it here, but personally my favorite Mirah song is The Garden - check it out:

The dream I had

Found this today while I was perusing the usual blogs. A-dor-able. What a nice thought for such a lovely day. That is all.

Image taken by Kimberly Gillett

Found on Le Love Image

What people are saying

Today in my participatory journalism class, we discussed social media. With all the talk of hash tags and whatnots, I decided to do a quick #sleep search and here were the results in the early afternoon on April 7.Note: I had paused the feed and went back to it - the minutes are not accurate indicators. People talk about sleep a lot on twitter.

Alarm Clocks

Alarm clocks... I hate them. Today, RSE's alarm clock was set to go off at 7:30 a.m. Correction- there were two alarm clocks going off from 7:30 to 10:00 this morning, alternating every five minutes. I was about to throw them out the window - and I would have if he didn't have to get up for school today. Grrr. I hate alarm clocks.

Here is one online: http://onlineclock.net/

I need to get one that gradually wakes you up with light or something that will not make me so angry.

[Image via]

Snoring Anonymous

With all of these allergens in the air, I seem to snore a bit more than usual. I think we need to form a snoring anonymous group. Any takers?

Here are some tips in the meantime:

1. Earplugs
2. Nose strips
3. Avoid dairy and sleeping on your back
4. Buy this some mouthpiece contraption
5. Tell people it is their problem!! lol

Sleeping nooks!

Do want. I came across these today, while stumbling of course, and I was instantly planning out my dream home. Click here for the link to You Are My Fave's post where I saw these beauties.

My two favorites:

(1) [Image via]

(2) [Image via]

Fab-u-lous!

Here are my thoughts... work. work. work. Oh, a nap. :)

Dream Diary: Day 27

Last night, right before I was about to go to sleep I was talking about snakes and I had a dream, err, nightmare about them. I was at my house and there was torrential rain pour for three days. All of a sudden there were hundreds of snakes swimming in my flooded yard. Then, a man who was traveling with an anaconda lost it and it turned up on my deck. It was as long as the entire bannister. I went around terrified clutching a hammer of sorts trying to protect myself. Terrifying. Glad I woke up before a dream snake tried to attack me.

Weird and oddly shaped beds

When I was stumbling earlier, I came across some oddly shaped beds and I decided to google and find out what I could come up with.

Here are the top five:

1. Fetal position bed

[Image via.]

2. Floating magnetic bed

[Image via.]

3. Sleep Pod - simulates light to help wake you up

[Image via.]

4. Toothbrush Bed
[Image via.]

5. Float

[Image via.]

Pillow placement and sleep

My knees still hurt from the intense hills in San Francisco, and thus sleeping is a problem so I did a little light research on what doctors say. Doctor approved "proper" placement for sleeping varies for different sleeping positions. You are probably comfortable sleeping one way. Try these suggestions from hubpages. It may feel weird at first but your spine and knees will thank you in the long run.

If you are a stomach sleeper: place pillow under hips/lower stomach. This will take the stress off of your lower back.

If you are a side sleeper: place pillow under the head and one between the knees. This is recommended by most all chiropractors and will help snoring. (trying this one tonight!)

If you are a back sleeper: place pillow under head and one under the knees. This leads to terrible snoring, but will greatly relieve pressure on your back.

Again, this isn't new information - I was just curious.

Dream Diary: Day 26

Last night I couldn't sleep for the life of me. I had a stressful day full of driving through rain and winds upwards of 60 mph back to Columbia, and yet I still couldn't sleep. However, I did dream a little.

Lately, I have been having a lot of dreams about my former best friend. (It ended badly for a stupid girly reason) I guess I miss her. Anyways, she was trying to attract RSE, and I was really worried for some reason. Insecurity maybe? I don't remember a lot of the dream, but in other dreams about her lately we weren't in a race for a boy, but instead we were close again. In the dream before that we decided to move in together with about 12 other people in a house that used to be a sorority house a long time ago. It was dilapiated and awful but fun at the same time. Hmmmmm..

Speaking of sleeping positions. Partners and their sleeping positions.

Just because you and your partner do not cuddle throughout the night, doesn't mean you need to seek relationship therapy. In searching around for my own purposes, I came across an article on partners and sleeping positions. Enjoy:

Here are the most common (I think I like lists lately):

• Sailing away: one or both people are sleeping on the farthest corner of the bed. This could mean that you are subconsciously pulling apart, but your partner could just be hot. Don't think about it too much unless it is a constant problem.
• The Hug: A face-to-face hug, or with arms around each other, but it is not the most comfortable. However, this is the most common for people who just met or are recently married.
• The Spoon: When one partner lies on their side and the other snuggles up behind them on their side, with their arm around you. It is both sexy and makes you safe. (My personal favorite).
• Loosely tight: Similar to the spoon, or "making spoons" - Any Pulp Fiction fans out there? - but with more distance apart. This is the most common position for people who have been together for a while and are confident in their relationship.

These are the most common. According to the article, about 20% of the couples even sleep in different beds, so don't worry about your relationship unless it bothers you. Just be comfortable and do what is right for you. Now, off to coupley naptime! :)

Personality and Sleep Patterns

I was perusing BBC News (my favorite) and I found an article that I have come across before so I though that I would share it with you now... Scientists now believe they can tell a person's true self, or their personality, from what sleeping position they use most.

Professor Chris Idzikowski, director of the Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service, defines the six main types: (as shown, in order, above)

• Foetus: People who use this position are tough outwardly, but truly sensitive. This is the most common sleeping position, with 2x as many women as men utilizing this.
• Log: Usually easy-going people who are very trusting. Approximately 15 % of people utilize this position.
• The yearner: These people are open, but cynical. Approximately 13% of people.
• Soldier: These people are often soft and reserved. Approximately 8 %.
• Freefall: Cheeky, but don't like or cannot take criticism. Approximately 7% of sleepers.
• Starfish: Great friend types who don't like the spotlight on themselves. Approximately 5% of people.

Some positions may affect your health such as breathing, digestion, etc... Positions such as starfish and soldier may lead to increased snoring.

He also found that people usually keep their sleeping position, with just 5% reporting that they change nightly.

[Image via]

Dream Diary: Day 23

Yadda Yadda .. so our supposedly "fancy" hotel doesn't get Internet - well, it does - for ten dollars a day - so I decided to have an electronics withdrawal. I have forgotten all of my dreams from the past few evenings, but last night I remember the dream. I have a recurring dream that I consistently forget to go to KBIA. Because of this, they choose to (understandably) let me go. But, this means that I am no longer on my parent's health insurance, but this wasn't the problem last night. The problem was that my convergence group was presenting the story we reported on to a large group for some kind of prize and the staff of KBIA didn't want me to present because I was a terrible employee/student. I spent the entire dream trying to get the position back. I don't know why I always have this dream. I then had another dream. I don't remember much. All I know is there was wine involved.

Toodles.

Most common dreams in America

I was curious as to what are the most common dreams that people report. In my research, I came across an MSNBC article (5 most common dreams and what they mean). Here are their results:

Top Five:

1. Falling
2. Being chased
3. Teeth falling out
4. Spouse cheating on you
5. Back at school

Now, I will look at these more in depth.

Falling:

• Many dream interpreters take this to mean that something in your life is going wrong and that you need to fix or change the situation soon. These are also apparently common for people who suffer from depression.
• I don't usually have falling dreams per se, but I usually feel like that as I start to fall asleep. Then, I jerk and wake up scared.

Being chased:

• Being chased typically means that you are avoiding something. The advice the article gives is to "Get it over with, otherwise the issue will continue to follow you."
• I have a lot of these kind of dreams. When I was a child, these happened to me on a daily basis and I don't know that I was avoiding anything. I always dreamt that a wolf was chasing me by my house, and now I dream that people are trying to harm my family and then proceed to chase us.

Teeth falling out

• According to dream interpreters, this is a common dream if you feel guilty about gossiping, or sharing information that you should have kept to yourself.
• I have this dream a lot, but once again, I don't know that I agree with the interpreters. I have this dream a lot when I hit a tooth and fall asleep worrying that it will require surgery. I think I just worry too much.

Back at school

• This dream typically means that you have an abundance or pressure at your job.
• I cannot attest to this, since I am still in school. However, I have dreams that I miss class, am late for a meeting at KBIA, etc... on a regular basis. I think this is the perfectionist in me.

Spouse cheating on you

• The cheating dream usually occurs when you feel that your partner is spending too much time without you. Use this as a wake up call to fix your relationship.
• I have this dream sometimes. It usually is a variation though, and involves me finding out that RSE or another boy used me to get to my friend. Self-conscious, I guess?

The article also covers figuring out what your dreams mean. Dreams are important. You may find an answer for your waking life in your dreams. Tips from the article include:

• Sum it up into a movie title.
• Figure out the main conflict of the dream.
• Compare that conflict in the dream to your real-life day before the dream.

Interesting. Something to think about.

Airplane Sleep

A pondering: Surely the airlines could find something better. There are other options, I'm aware, such as first class, but I am not wealthy (unfortunately). I have heard rumor on VH1 of airplanes that have a sleep 'pod' for you with a bed and they simulate the daylight hours of where you are going so that you don't experience jet lag. (ingenious!) O I wish. As I ponder this pondering, I am about to fly to San Francisco - via coach. Wish me luck and hope I don't get the back unreclining row.

My birthday is Sunday - so I am in San Francisco and Napa for a few days celebrating the big 2-1. I will post when I can, but it may not be regularly. Never fear - I shall return.

Dormir.

I love to sleep - (It sounds especially amazing right now) - and apparently I am not alone. While perusing Facebook today, I found a page called "dormir," which means 'to sleep' in French. (Looks like my four years of French classes paid off). There are over two million fans of this page.So, I started looking around and I found that "Sleeping," another page, had almost an additional two million fans. Sleeping posts photos and comments and each one has thousands, upon thousands of comments and "likes," while Dormir has no wall posts. Despite this fact, this page, which has nothing on it - has an astounding number of fans. I found this to be interesting. Thoughts?

Dream Diary: Day 17

Strange dreams last night. I had a dream that all alarm clocks were reformatted and lied to you to get you up earlier and I was confused whether or not my clock was still in the old format or in the new one. I couldn't decide when to get up. Then I woke up - it was about 8 a.m. and I was scared to go back to sleep in case I didn't get up. I always have dreams about missing class, school, exams, etc... - I think I care too much.

Poems

I have already spoke about some sleep and dream poetry, but here are a few more classics.

1. Edgar Allan Poe: "A Dream Within A Dream"
   O God! can I not save
   One from the pitiless wave?
   Is all that we see or seem
   But a dream within a dream?


2. Paul Celan: "O Little Root of a Dream"
   O little root of a dream
   you hold me here
   undermined by blood,
   no longer visible to anyone,
   property of death.
   
   Curve a face
   that there may be speech, of earth,
   of ardor, of
   things with eyes, even
   here, where you read me blind,
   
   even
   here,
   where you
   refute me,
   to the letter.
   


3. Robert Louis Stevenson: "The Land of Nod"
   From Breakfast on through all the day
   At home among my friends I stay,
   But every night I go abroad
   Afar into the land of Nod.
   
   All by myself I have to go,
   With none to tell me what to do--
   All alone beside the streams
   And up the mountain-sides of dreams.
   
   The strangest things are there for me,
   Both things to eat and things to see,
   And many frightening sights abroad
   Till morning in the land of Nod.
   
   Try as I like to find the way,
   I never can get back by day,
   Nor can remember plain and clear
   The curious music that I hear

Enjoy your poetry-cation.

Found on Poets.org

An attempted all-nighter

This weekend was Relay For Life. It was quite successful - there were over 1,500 participants and over $100K was raised. Many participants were able to stay up all night, but some had to get a little shut eye. Here are some photos by Matthew Hibbard:

Dream Diary: Day 16

Very, very little sleep last night. Got home from a concert in St. Louis at about 2:30 a.m. and didn't fall asleep for a long while. KBIA at 7:30. Ugh. This day is going to be a long one. I never realize how important sleep is until I don't have time for it.

Snoring. (Part one of many)

I snore. I am not ashamed to admit it. Okay, I am a little. But, I can't help it, so it is someone else's problem. :) I have been known to make boat noises, snake noises, typical snoring noises, a loud breather, etc... The list goes on.

Today, I will look at the causes of snoring. I think we all know, but how about a recap.

Most typical reasons for snoring (according to the Mayo Clinic)

• Mouth anatomy: a soft palate or enlarged tonsils increases snoring behaviors
• Nasal problems: a crooked nasal partition or nasal blockage leads to snoring
• Alcohol consumption: alcohol relaxes throat muscles and leads to snoring
• Sleep apnea: a condition in which your throat tissues obstruct your airway; characterized by loud snoring and then a period of silence that can last 10 seconds or more (Very serious!)

Or a combination of any of the above.

On the next snoring blog, I will cover solutions to snoring. In the meantime, enjoy this video in which a baby sleeping next to a man gets scared due to the loud snores.

Sleep. Or lack there of.

Last night was Relay For Life. That means that I have been up since about noon Saturday until about 7 a.m. Sunday morning. Caffeine is the sole reason I stayed awake last night. I am so thankful that Relay For Life is indoors this year - with my pollen allergies as severe as they are, I would be miserable outside.

Lack of sleep. Delirious. When I was researching future posts, I came across the deadly side of sleep deprivation, according to U.S. News and World Report.

"...New data about sleep’s benefits suggest that losing sleep might speed up death’s arrival. Recent research also shows that people who don’t snooze enough face a higher risk of losing their health than those who regularly get a good night’s sleep."

Uh oh. Maybe I should catch some z's.

Dream Diary: Day 14

Well, last night - scratch that - today's (went to sleep at 7 a.m.) I had very weird dreams. I went tothe future and the past. In the past I was escaping a madman chasing me, puffing in and out of scenes like a movie. I also tried to reunite two of my friends that broke up. It was a weird combination. In the future, I was shopping at a department store that was a cross between Kohl's and Macy's -I'm not quite sure. There were a lot of weird details. The man chasing me looked like Freddy Kruger mixed with an old man. Scary. And now the day is almost over. Sad news.

Cute Things Falling Asleep

I have come across this site many times before but I thought I would share it. http://www.cutethingsfallingasleep.org/ has the cutest videos. As you spend a few minutes on the site, you think "Wow. I just wasted my time watching a gerbil go to sleep." But hey, that is what procrastination is all about.

Here is my favorite video from the web site:

Sleepwalking

Sleepwalking. I have done it. I know of lot of people have once before.

Whether you are Bizkit, the sleep walking dog...


or you are talking about the movie with Charlize Theron, we have all heard of it at the very least. It can be a serious problem though. According to the Mayo Clinic, sleepwalking (somnambulism) is most common between children ages 8-12. However, it can affect anyone and can pose a serious problem. There have been cases of unusual behaviors, sometimes dangerous. These include climbing out of windows or possibly walking out into a street.

Causes:

• Stress
• Sleep deprivation
• Fever
• Sleeping in unfamiliar surroundings
• Some medications
• Stroke
• Migraines
• Premenstrual period

Whoa. (a little scared now)

Dreams - Langston Hughes

Here is an amazing poem titled "Dreams," by the talented Langston Hughes.

Enjoy.

Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.

nap. nap. nap.

My roommate's cat: Schmoo. Napping. Sounds like a plan.
Happy Thursday napping.

Dream Diary: Day 11

No dreams last night. Lots of snoring. And allergies. And misery. I plan on taking a LOOOOOONG nap this afternoon after class.

Dream Diary: Day 10

Didn't have any dreams yesterday (at least that I recalled). What I did have was three interviews - blahhhh.

Last night though, weird dreams ensued. RSE was chasing me and my future roommate around a mall like he was going to kill us. He was also wearing a poncho (!). I then thought he was trying to get AEH because he was in love with her, but that she did not return his feelings. We ran some more. Then, discovery. I found out that he was her brother and that he liked me. Also, he was a successful businessman - something online - and was the proud owner of $27 million. Interesting. No clue on the meaning. Any help?

What do you think?

Is there any risk of brain damage? Well, technically speaking, the operation is brain damage.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is quite possibly my favorite movie. Director Michael Gondry seamlessly tells the story of two lovers who are, well... tired of each other. This film won an Oscar for best original screenplay and Kate Winslet was nominated for best actress. I love that despite it all, they would.. well, I won't spoil it for you, but it's magical.

I am including it here because so many fantastic scenes from this movie are shot in a bed. Joel and Clementine like to pretend to smother each other in a funny pillow scene. Also, in one of my favorite scenes, Joel wakes up in his bed on the beach in Montauk in the winter. Snow falls on the beach as the waves crash in. It is beautiful. Actually, the whole brain-wiping premise is set at his apartment on his bed.

Here is the trailer:

Absolutely beautiful.

Dancing in your sleep

This is an amazing video of the song "Her Morning Elegance" by Oren Lavie. It's amazing. (Trust me on this one).

For lyrics, click here.

Who:

• Co-directors of animation: Yuval and Merav Nathan (go to www.onewingfly.com for more information)
• Actress: Shir Shomron
• Photographer: Eyal Landesman

Fun Facts:

• The video was shot all stills in Eyal’s studio in Tel-Aviv.
• The video is composed entirely of about 3225 still photos; All photos were shot with a single camera hanging from the ceiling.
• Before shooting started, it took about 4 weeks to create a storyboard
• It only took two days of shooting
• Some of the sheets are from Oren's bedroom.

From Oren Lavie's MySpace Blog

Dream Diary: Day 8

No time for dreams last night. I had a midterm today and therefore got about five hours of sleep. I know I had a dream about the mafia coming after me, but when I woke up I didn't take time to analyze it because I was too busy frantically trying to cram.

I'll take a nap later: weird sleep-deprived dreams are bound to ensue...

Dream Diary: Day 7

So.. I don't remember my dreams last night, but I did have an interesting experience. I woke up at ten to go to the restroom and thought, eh, I still have a lot of time to study, so I went back to bed. Woke up at one and realized OH CRAP, it is daylight savings time and I lost an hour. It was actually two. BAHHH. So, it is a day full of frantic studying. I need that long lost hour back!

journalism geek + pillows = awesome

Equation:

(1) journalist and therefore a social media geek

+

(2) a love of sleep, naps and the like

=

Awesome social media pillows!

Found on Craftsquatch's etsy page.

Dream Diary: Day 6

w.e.i.r.d.

O the dreams I had last night. First, my red Sunfire was suddenly a red Beetle (I was really stoked). Then, as I was driving around, I realized that it was a convertible (double awesome). I drove up to campus and arrived at a form of Peace Park only this park went on for as far as the eye could see. I couldn't find a parking spot and I really needed to study for an exam so I parked randomly and just folded up my car - It was magically inflatable.

So, I carried around my car and my books in my arms trying to find a place to sit and read and review. The first bench I sat at was too big, I couldn't reach - I felt like Goldilocks. I eventually found a table and I studied. Then, RSE and I went to the mall. He was not a happy camper. We went to the jewelry counter and I picked up a greeting card to send to my mother. The cashier took about an hour to check me out. I was infuriated. I was searching for RSE when I woke up.

Daydream believer.

I came across a great project called "The Daydreamers Project." This was created by Alexandra Sandu in September of last year in Bucharest. The subjects were asked to close their eyes and think of something beautiful. The project is still in development. The goal is 1,000 daydreamers; she is still looking for 289 participants.

Check it out. They will make you smile. I guarantee it.

Friday nap.

(Me)

Rainy Friday afternoons were meant for his sort of thing.

Sleep on campus. Yes please.

Although today is gray and cloudy....

As a college student, I am sleep deprived, so anytime that I can take a quick nap (siesta snooze), I will. As a junior, I have perfected when and where to nap on campus.

My favorites, in no particular order:

1. The quad.

Simply perfect for napping - big trees, lush grass, birds chirping. Perfection. I am always over by the j-school and I find that the tree behind the Journalism library is quite lovely for napping.

2. The stairs by plaza.

Right after a large meal at Plaza 900 (I miss these), I used to always curl up on the concrete steps. On a nice day, when the sun warms the stairs, it it quite possibly heaven.

3. Upstairs memorial

Well, anywhere in Memorial Union really is absolutely perfect for sleep.

4. The library

Ellis. Enough said. Quiet room. (Just don't snore).

Dream Diary: Day 5

Last night I had a very peculiar dream. It is slipping away faster and faster so I should probably repeat it now. I don't remember a whole lot but I was in front of an audience in a huge lecture h all on campus. I was performing great stunts with fire, etc... Then, after my act, I really needed to get some homework done. I had to read an old, old book that was rare and expensive. It accidentally caught on fire. I was freaking out when I woke up. Weird. And slightly reminscient of Alice in Wonderland.

I think that means I better to get studying!

Sleep Songs

I was perusing the Internet for some blog ideas and I thought about songs that mention sleep. I came across a great article from Associated Content, by Doug Poe. His recommendations don't necessarily gel with mine but I do like The Romantics "Talking in Your Sleep." So 80s. So wonderful.

A sampling of the lyrics:
When you close your eyes and go to sleep
And it's down to the sound of a heartbeat
I can hear the things that you're dreaming about
When you open up your heart and the truth comes out
....
I hear the secrets that you keep
When you're talking in your sleep

My sleep/bed/dream/nap song recommendations are:

**links are two YouTube videos of the songs

(1) Your New Twin Sized Bed - Death Cab For Cutie

(2) Dream On - Aerosmith

(3) Trouble Sleeping - The Perishers

(4) Oversleeping - I'm From Barcelona

(5) Sleep - Dandy Warhols

(6) No Sleep 2Nite - Molly McQueen

(7) Where Did You Sleep Last Night - Nirvana

(8) You Make My Dreams - Hall & Oates

(9) Sleeping In - The Postal Service

(10) I Sing I Swim - Seabear

Musical Education 2200 with Prof. Elston complete.

Enjoy.

So cute it'll make you vom.

I was checking my daily blogs and on LeLoveImage, I came across the cutest thing ever. Two people lying in bed whispering sweet nothings. O, the romance.

Ch-ch-check it out!

"I want that night"

Images found on weheartit/tumblr

Dream Diary: Day 4

Last night, I had terrible allergies and did not sleep very well, thus I don't really remember my dreams. I know they were good ones though because I didn't want to wake up. I finally woke up after three alarms of my own and two of RSE only to realize its Thursday - not Friday. Weekend, please get here.

Since I cannot remember my own, I will tell you one that I used to dream of a lot as a child. Behind my house at my parent's house there is a little patch of woods. I used to dream that there was a wolf that would come out and chase me underneath my deck. I would hide in the shed there and wait and wait, but he wouldn't leave.

Analysis: According to Dream Moods, a wolf symbolizes "survival, beauty, solitude, mystery, self-confidence and pride. You are able to keep your composure in a variety of social circumstances and blend into any situation with ease and grace. You are also a loner by choice. Negatively, the wolf represents hostility, aggression, or sneakiness. It may reflect an uncontrollable force or situation in your life." Well, I don't know about the uncontrollable and worrisome situation - I was about five, but the lone wolf makes me laugh. I am reminded of Zach Galifianakis in The Hangover.

You guys might not know this, but I consider myself a bit of a loner. I tend to think of myself as a one-man wolf pack. But when my sister brought Doug home, I knew he was one of my own. And my wolf pack... it grew by one. So there... there were two of us in the wolf pack... I was alone first in the pack, and then Doug joined in later. And six months ago, when Doug introduced me to you guys, I thought, "Wait a second, could it be?" And now I know for sure, I just added two more guys to my wolf pack. Four of us wolves, running around the desert together, in Las Vegas, looking for strippers and cocaine. So tonight, I make a toast!

I will leave you on that note. :)

When I Was Little...

When I was little I dreamed of becoming an astronaut. I know this is not sleep or 'dream' dream related... but it is my dream. Plus, when I go to sleep at night, I often think of stars and galaxies.

Here are two examples of amazing space video.

(1) IMAX Hubble 3D Trailer. AHmazing. Must see.

(sorry this is the smallest it gets.)

(2) "The Known Universe" created by the American Museum of Natural History.

Enjoy! Tip: Watch fullscreen

(If only I were good at math.. no more journalism for me.)

Dream Diary: Day 3

Last night I had a strange dream - it was a befuddlement (word?) of all the things floating in my head after (a) a long day, (b) watching Gangs of New York and (c) weirdness.

I started off dreaming about cutting my own hair - it was a disaster. I was just trying to fix this very tiny piece and ended up hacking away. Then, it transitioned into going on a date with RSE, and then somehow I was with my family. All of the girls on my mother's side of the family were having a game and snack night. It was nice to see everyone until they had me hold a new baby and all of a sudden the room started filling up with water and I was so scared for the baby - not myself.

Analysis: Well, with the amalgam of things going on in my mind I don't know if it can ever be analyzed, but I will do my best. I was once holding my niece and a giant wave on the beach came out of no where and we went under and I think she is slightly traumatized so I think it is my guilt for that. Also, I think the extreme stress that I am under right now is reflected in this dream. I have midterms, paper, personal commitments, Relay For Life activities, a video to make for KBIA (local NPR station), MyMissourian and CoMoYouKnow posts... etc.. when does the list end.

Stressed? Tell me about your biggest stress on your plate right now.

Dream Diary: Day 2

Last night, I had a strange dream, but I don't really remember it. I woke up quite frightened and confused. My alarm went off at 5:45 for a Lions Club Meeting and the song was playing in my dream. I was at Relay for Life (I am on the Steering Committee) and things were going very wrong. My ringtone was playing and I was half-awake and realized something was wrong and I jumped up and got ready. Almost late. Not as exciting as AEH's war dreams, but I promise - I have some weird ones.

Share your weird dreams!

Dream Diary: Day 1

So that you will better know me and to have a little fun, I am going to post my dreams (that I remember) and create a sort of dream diary. Since I do not remember mine, I am going to post my roommate's dreams:

Lately, I have been having a bunch of war dreams. In the first one, I was fighting in combat and I had a gun and everything because I was a soldier and I got shot in the side. It was scary, but I survived and I got the purple heart, but for some reason they would only let me do office work from then on. In the next dream, I was in the CIA posted in Afghanistan. I was on a mission, but for some reasons my friends came and they got caught. I was really pissed because I was on a secret mission. I had to go find them, and I did and for some reason they were in an apartment building that was missing one of the walls. The terrorists were also really nice to me.

Using Dream Mood's Dream Dictionary, I will attempt to analyze. Being shot symbolizes self-inflicted punishment and war symbolizes chaos in your life. According to Dream Mood, seeing friends means that parts of yourself that you have rejected are now ready to be incorporated. I don't know about all this. I have had some CRAZY dreams. My advice? Don't watch any war/secret mission CIA movies before bed AEH.

Do you have any interesting dreams? Tell me about them.

Everyone loves babies.

Babies are universally loved, so I figured, hey, why not start out my blog with some pictures of babies? Not just any babies - some of my friends from high school recently became mothers so I decided to post some photos of their s new children sleeping.

Kristopher Ryan Barker

Braylon Scott McKinnie

Aiden Scott Roscoe